The Ukrainian Navy has gained NATO-certified authority to command and control subordinate multinational Allied forces for the first time. The mine countermeasures headquarters of the Navy’s 1st Mine Countermeasures Division successfully passed a Level 2 NATO evaluation.
The Ukrainian Navy announced the result.
The evaluation took place during the Ukrainian-US Sea Breeze 2026 exercises. Following extensive inspections, the Ukrainian unit received the rating “Mission Capable.”
The Navy explained that NATO Evaluation Level 2 assesses not only a unit’s interoperability with Allied forces but also its full operational capability.
Successfully passing this level confirms that Ukrainian sailors can perform combat tasks in accordance with Allied Command Operations Forces Standards.
For the first time in the history of Ukraine’s modern navy, the unit has been formally integrated into NATO’s command system for formations tasked with eliminating mine threats at sea.
Ukraine now has NATO-confirmed capability to command and control subordinate multinational forces, cooperate up to the level of a Standing NATO Mine Countermeasures Group, and conduct the full range of naval mine-warfare missions.
The Navy said Ukrainian sailors had prepared for the evaluation for three years while the full-scale war was ongoing. During that period, they implemented Allied doctrines and developed the required capabilities.
The experience gained is considered especially important ahead of the future clearance of mines from the Black Sea and the Sea of Azov.
